Hide and Seek
by Lina Cross
Summary: A fan of the Fire Ferrets becomes instant friends with the team, but is her act a little too convincing, too fast? Or can she give up the necessary life she leads for the fantasy one she wants?
1. A Helping Hand

**This is because I've hit a bit of a rut with my original story on DeviantArt that I've been so very focused on lately (can somebody say twenty chapters in two weeks?), and also because I think my account has gotten dusty in that time. I needed to post something here again, and I couldn't get this story out of my mind. I'm warning everyone now, it will probably go unfinished.**

**I do not own The Legend of Korra or any of its characters.**

**. . .**

"Oh, Republic City," Korra sighed as she fended off four thugs. "You are _totally_ a place of wonder and awe."

Suddenly, the attackers were blasted back by a less-than-vicious tongue of fire. "What the..."

"Sheng-mi boys! What do you think you're doing?" asked a skinny girl, hands on her hips as she gave them a stern look. "Your mom will _not_ be happy. Fighting with the Avatar? Really?"

"S-sorry, La-aya." said the biggest one, scratching the back of his neck guiltily. "We w-wasn't exp-pecting you to b-be here."

"Yeah, we'll just leave her alone now." said the weasel-faced one, pulling his beefy brother away.

"You'd better. I won't tell Mrs. Sheng-mi, but next time you might not be so lucky." the girl said. The boys uttered more apologies, then slunk away into the cobblestone streets. The girl shook her head, an amused smile on her face. "They're harmless, really. They were just looking to start something. Hi, I'm Laya."

"Um, hi. I'm Korra." said the Avatar, looking the girl up and down. She was a scrapper, to be sure. She had a skinny frame, though she was Korra's height. She wore a red long-sleeved shirt rolled up to the elbows, over which was a short black jacket with short sleeves. She also wore very short red pants and black leggings underneath, with black shoes and fingerless gloves completing the ensemble. Her thick, dark hair was up in a perky pony-tale, with fluffy bangs covering her forehead. Her yellow eyes matched the glittering gold hoops in her ears and the gold coin on the black ribbon surrounding her neck.

"Yeah, I know. Long time fan, first time caller." she said flippantly with a smile. "Anyway, no offense, but you don't seem to know anything about anything in Republic City. Mind if I show you around a bit?"

"Actually, I was just going to meet my friends down at the arena." Korra said.

"Whoa! You're friends with Pro-Benders?" Layla asked, wide-eyed. "That's so cool! I mean, I guess I should have known you'd be friends with Pro-Benders, but, I don't know. Bending as a sport just seemed... beneath someone as awe-inspiring as the Avatar."

Korra laughed. "I doubt I've inspired awe in anybody yet. You can come with me to meet them, if you want. I'm sure Bolin will like you. Not too sure about Mako, though."

"You mean it?"

"Totally. After you heroically saved me from those awful thugs." she teased.

Layla snorted. "Hardly. Oh, my gosh, meeting Pro-Benders with the _Avatar_! Ah! This day just keeps getting better!" She happily joined Korra as the Avatar headed to the arena, almost bouncing along like a toddler going to a sweet-shop. She babbled, to the amusement of the Water Bender, about how much she'd always loved listening the Pro-Bending tournaments and how she'd never actually gotten to see one in person. When they arrived, Layla was nearly jumping out of her skin with excitement.

"Are they nice?" she asked.

"Oh, definitely. They always-"

She was cut off as a burst of fire came their way when they entered the training room. Layla instinctively leaped in front of Korra and Bent the fire over and around her, then returned it to the direction it had come from. A tall boy with dark hair raised his rather untrimmed eyebrows and blocked the attack. "Korra?" he said. "Sorry. I didn't know you'd be walking in."

"About time you got here." said a broad-shouldered boy, spinning a green clay disk on his fingers as he smiled winningly at the girls.

"I was held up a few blocks away." Korra said, seeming unperturbed by what had just occurred. "Just a little scrape, that's all."

"And who's the girl?" asked the tall boy.

"Oh, this is Layla. She helped me out with that little scrape, so I thought I'd take her to meet some Pro-Benders as thanks." she said, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Um, hi." she said, suddenly very timid. "A-are you the Fire Ferrets?"

The broader of the two boys, Bolin (her favorite), smiled. "You a fan?"

"Try gigantic!" she exclaimed. "You guys are incredible! Everybody else gets where they are because of sponsors and coddling, but you guys are amazing because of raw talent! I _wish_ I could see you fight in person!"

"How about tomorrow?" he asked. "Today's just training."

Her golden eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"I'm not really a serious kind of guy, but for you, I can make an exception." he said as he examined his nails, his growing ego painfully apparent in his stance and tone.

Her chest swelled at his words. A _Fire Ferret_ had just talked to her like that! Keep calm, Layla, you're not the average fan-girl. Or... maybe you are.

"Bolin, come on." Mako groaned. "Are you gonna have _her_ join the team now, too?"

"Why not? She totally owned your fire attack a few minutes ago." Bolin said with a shrug.

"Oh, no! I wouldn't _dream_ of breaking you guys up." Layla said quickly. "I just wanna watch."

"That can be arranged." Korra said. "You can even stand where the locker rooms are. There's a fantastic view of the arena from there."

"Awesome!" she exclaimed. "I can't wait!"

"Wanna stay and watch us practice?" Bolin asked, spinning the disk again.

"Sorry, but I can't. I should really be getting back home." she said, heading out of the training room. "It was great meeting you guys!"

"Same here!" Bolin called, waving back. "Well, she seems nice."

"Whatever. Now that Korra's here, we can get back to training." Mako said, conjuring a ball of fire and launching it at the net.

Layla walked down the steps to the arena, looking around to make sure she wouldn't hit some unsuspecting pedestrian. The cobblestone beneath her foot crumbled as she made contact, and she stumbled. A strong hand caught her shoulder and pulled her upright. "Better watch your step around here, girlie." said a rough voice very close to her ear.

She sucked in a breath. This was not a voice she expected, nor _wanted,_ to hear at any point ever again.

"We have a deal, hon. Have you made any progress yet?"

"I'm working on it, Ratty." she muttered, brushing his grimy hand off her shoulder. "Just wait a little. You'll get your money."

"We'd better, cupcake." he said, his gravelly voice grating against her eardrums in a way that made her want to clap her hands to the sides of her head like a small child and scream. 'LALALALALA!' "You know what happens when people break their promises."

She sighed heavily. "They get broken, too." she recited.

"Good girl. Next time you see me, pray you've made some headway, huh?" And with that, he was gone, just like an extinguished flame.

Considerably less heartened, Layla trudged home, hands shoved into her shorts' pockets. Sometimes, she concluded miserably, things had to be done, even if she would rather be plucking her fingernails out with rusty tongs.

**. . .**

**I don't normally describe characters in that much depth, but everyone has their own look on this show, so I wanted to make it clear what Layla would generally look like. Just so you know.**


	2. Pro Bending Prevarication

Quietly, Layla sneaked into her house and silently closed the door. There was a single creak as it passed her face and she winced, hoping no one heard it. The sound was miniscule at best, but one could never be sure with-

"_Somebody_ was supposed to be back an hour ago."

She made a face, mentally doing a violent _Oh, shoot!_ motion before turning around to face the wrath of the almighty. "I got... sidetracked."

"Working?" said the tall, brown-haired girl as though it wasn't really a question. Her gracefully curved eyebrow was raised in an expression of annoyance above her perfectly-shaped golden eyes. She wore a red, short-sleeved shirt with black lily designs and a high collar. Around her waist was a black sash, accenting her curves. Brown pants that reached her shins garbed her long legs, and little black shoes covered her feet. The copious amounts of brown hair atop her head were left alone to fall freely in thick waves down to her shoulder blades.

"Is that always your first guess?" Layla asked bitterly. "You can stop being so disapproving, Aika, I can't get out of it."

"I can be disapproving because you got yourself into it." she said sternly. "Remember what Mom always said? If you can tie a knot, you can undo it."

"Mom's in jail." Layla informed her sister. "And besides, the end of that saying was, 'Or you can just cut the knot out and tie the string in the middle'. She wasn't the patient type."

"Fine. I can see I'm not getting through to you, _again_, so I'll let you go back to hiding in your room until I find something for dinner." Aika sighed, turning to go back down the darkened hallway. None of the candles were lit, and Layla assumed that was because they were running down again. They would either have to scrounge up some money to buy more, or they would have to content themselves to sitting in darkness. Layla gave a depressed sigh and trudged up the stairs, head not quite as high as she would have liked to hold it. When she entered her room, a memory flashed unbidden in her mind.

There, beside the door, Aika had sat on the floor behind her, teaching her how to Fire Bend because their mother was out 'working' again. Dad had died three years before, and Layla hardly had any recollection of him. Aika did, but she never divulged so much as a description. Protecting her little sister from something unknown to Layla. But at that time, the young soon-to-be Fire Bender didn't think about all that. She simply watched in fascination as bright flames danced between Aika's slender fingers, lighting up the inescapable darkness that was her room. That was one of the few happy memories Layla carried with her. The others were either long-forgotten or tainted by the stain of bitterness.

Layla collapsed on her bed, turning her thoughts to the Bending fight tomorrow. She smiled to herself, anxious to see her favorite team play. Noting the time by the sun outside, she flipped over and turned on the dusty wireless on her nightstand. It crackled to life, emitting the last dregs of an upbeat tune before passing the attention to tonight's battle.

"_And tonight, we have the mighty Tiger-Seals against the cunning Cat-Owls!"_

Her smile widened as she reclined on her back, listening to the wild and frantic pace of the announcer's voice.

"_Oh, folks, we are in for a treat tonight!"_

**. . .**

"She's not here yet." Bolin sang tensely.

"Relax. She'll come." Korra assured him, strapping on her helmet. "I mean, I know I only knew her for half an hour, but I feel like she wouldn't want to miss this."

"Hey, guys!" said a breathless Layla, bursting into the locker room. "Sorry. Got held up by the guard at the door." She puffed her chest out, drew her eyebrows together, and said in a comically deep voice, "You should just go on home to your mother. This is no place for a young lady." Then she laughed. "As if someone could mistake _me_ for a lady."

"Well, you're just in time. We're about to go out." said Mako, adjusting his helmet as he stepped toward the platform that would send them out into the arena.

"Good luck." Layla told them.

"I don't _need_ luck, Beautiful." Bolin said, making a move to lick his palm and slick his hair back. He noticed that he was wearing gloves just in time, though, and decided against it. "Well, see you on the other side!"

She clung to the railing as she watched them go, grinning from ear to ear. Oh, if Aika could _see_ this!

"_Tonight, folks, we have the terrible Canyon Crawlers against everyone's favorite underdogs, the Fire Ferrets!" _

The crowd cheered in the stands below. "Whoo! Go Ferrets!" she called.

Korra waved at her shouting fans, while Bolin strutted in a flirty fashion before the adoring girls in the right wing of the seats. Mako alone kept his eyes on the opponents, giving no thought to the people surrounding him besides the hope that he wouldn't disappoint.

"_Oh, what a show it's gonna be tonight, folks! Here we have the Crawlers, whose season is currently one and four, and the Ferrets who have managed to match that score thanks to the addition of the Avatar! Let's see who will be the one to throw the first punch. Oh, and it's Zaphar, who launches a hefty fireball Bolin's way. Mako redirects the flame away from his brother as Avatar Korra sends a jet of cold water to wake up Chu of the Crawlers! Well, he didn't take kindly to that. Oh! Folks, Bolin has just been knocked into Zone Three by a dastardly disk!"_

"Come on, Bolin!" she called. Pabu the Fire Ferret made screeching noises that could have meant he was cheering for his master or that he wanted more food. Layla chose to believe it was the former. She winced as Korra was knocked over the side and into the water, leaving Mako as the only one left to fight out round one.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Layla whipped around and came face-to-grimy-face with Ratty the Fun Spoiler. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, shoving him behind the wall so no one would see them together. "_How_ are you here? I had to fight just to get in with an invitation!"

"Rats don't need invitations." he said with a yellow smile.

Layla made a face and stepped back as the noxious fumes that were his breath reached her nose. "I just saw you yesterday. You're not giving me enough time."

"Time ain't somethin' you've got a lot of, Layla." he said quietly. "Amon's getting impatient. It won't be long before he starts getting _frustrated_."

"I get that, but building trust takes time. I'm sure you didn't know that, seeing as nobody in their right mind would trust you with anything."

"Three weeks, girlie." he growled. "Do it or die and leave us to figure out a use for your beloved sister." With that, he turned and left the room, closing the door with a soft _snap_ behind him.

Suddenly remembering where she was, she turned back to the railing in time to see Mako wipe out the last of the Canyon Crawlers with an incredibly intricate Fire Bending move.

"_And the fabulous Fire Ferrets win again, with an astounding performance by Mako!"_

Layla cheered along with the crowd, slightly less boisterous than before, but managing to hide it well. Although Pabu did keep shooting her suspicious glances. Or maybe she was just paranoid.

"That was awesome!" she praised as the team reentered the locker rooms, successfully masking the remnants of Ratty's stench with their own aroma of body odor. "Mako, you've _gotta_ show me that move again!"

"Oh, great. Girl comes in, she always ends up flirting with you." Bolin said with rolled eyes.

"I'm not _flirting_!" she admonished. "I just wanted to see it. As a fellow Fire Bender, I'm allowed to appreciate art when I see it."

Mako chuckled. "I wouldn't exactly say _art_. It was just something I threw together at the last minute."

"Whatever it was, it did the trick." Korra said as she removed her helmet.

As the three busied themselves at their lockers, Layla turned away and gathered herself, taking several deep and rather useless calming breaths. "Hey, how about I make dinner for you guys?" she asked brightly, facing them again.

They each stopped to look at her, surprised. "Make dinner?" Korra asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. I mean, I'm a pretty good cook, and I'm sure you guys are exhausted."

"And _starving_!" Bolin exclaimed happily. "How much can you make?" His brother shot him a look, and he shrugged. "What? Pretty girl offers to make me dinner, who am I to refuse?"

Layla grinned. "I'll make you whatever you want. Just hang on back in your rooms, and I'll get some stuff."

"No, really, you don't have to buy anything." Mako told her.

"It's completely fine. You guys deserve it." she insisted.

"See, Mako? We deserve it." Bolin said in the sort of tone one would expect to hear from someone about to stick their tongue out.

"I'll be right back." she promised, hurrying out of the locker rooms and, eventually, the arena itself. She jogged down the front stone steps with the throng of people, looking around. Perhaps she was too late, and he was long gone. Fighting through the masses as though she were a fish swimming upstream, she made it to the side of the stairs where it was clearer. "Ratty!" she called softly, looking around in the night. "Are you still here?"

"You got somethin' for me, girlie?" he asked, materializing out of thin air and causing her to jump back in shock. "Like, say, an Avatar?"

"No," she snapped, a little breathlessly. "I need some money."

He narrowed his beady eyes. "Why?"

"Do you want them to trust me or not?"

"I want the Avatar."

"And that requires trust. Hand over the yuans."

With a glare that had very little effect on its recipient, Ratty dug through his pocket and handed her a fistful of pink paper. "There. This better be worth it."

"Every bit." she promised, racing off to find a market that was open late.

**. . .**

**Oooh, backstabbing! And it's only chapter two!**

**Just a few fun facts, in case you guys are interested. Aika's name means 'love song' in Japanese (and, incidentally, I found that Momo means 'peaches' and Asami means 'morning beauty'). The title, Hide and Seek, is taken from the song by Imogen Heap with the same name. Whenever I hear it, I think of Layla and Bolin.**


	3. Nightly Nuances

"Mph – Waywa, dis ish reawy goo'." Bolin uttered through a mouthful of noodles.

"Yeah, where'd you learn to cook like this?" Korra asked as she took a bite of cooked Bat-Pheasant.

"My sister and I trade off making dinner every week." Layla explained. "You learn pretty fast what's okay to slather in oil and what's not."

Bolin swallowed. "You know, Mako cooks for the two of us. I'm, uh, more partial to the testing of the food, if I do say so myself."

"I know. Because you hog most of it." Mako teased.

"Hey! I'm a-"

"Growing boy, I know."

"You really shouldn't have done this." Korra said, wiping the grease from her mouth. "How much did all this cost?"

"Don't worry about it." Layla said. "It was nothing."

"This is definitely something." Mako pressed. "Really, just tell us. We'll pay you back."

"Guys, stop. This is thanks for inviting me to watch you fight." she insisted. "It really was a fantastic performance."

"Can't argue with that." Bolin said, slurping the rest of the noodles out of his bowl. "Hey, you gonna eat that?"

**. . .**

The window would be better this time. Even if it squeaked, Aika wouldn't get there fast enough to catch her out of bed. She reached up and quickly pulled herself through the frame and into her plain room. Thank goodness she'd left it open. Quick as a wink, she cast her jacket and shoes to the side and crawled into bed, feeling exhausted.

Then her traitorous door opened and she was forced to open her eyes.

"Oh, you're back." was all Aika said, though her tone proclaimed far more. She had been worried. Very worried. "I kept coming in to check, but you were never..." She sighed heavily, making the flame in her palm shiver. "Whatever it is they're making you do can't be good."

"It never is." Layla grumbled, rolling onto her back. "If Dad was alive, it wouldn't be like this."

"Now how would you know that?" Aika asked with a small smile, trying to inject a bit of amusement into her voice for her sister's sake. She sat on the edge of the bed next to her.

"Well, I don't see how it could be any worse."

She stroked Layla's soft dark hair, lost in memory. "You're right. It wouldn't be like this. Mom might still be in prison, but... It would have been better than this."

"Why don't you ever tell me about him?" the younger girl asked, looking a bit hurt at her sister's lack of information.

"Some things are better left in the past." Aika said softly. "Live now, and don't focus on what has been."

"You sound like some old Air Temple monk." Layla teased.

"And you sound like an adolescent Fire Bender." Aika shot back with a light jab to the nose. "Go to sleep. Whatever it is the Triad wants from you, it's gonna require rest."

Layla's grin disappeared as her sister stood. Aika knew everything but the details about Layla's 'work'. It was hard to hide being the one who sneaked off to do not-so-legal things in the dead of night with more than sketchy characters. But it brought them money when they needed it which, in turn, put food on their admittedly rickety table. Sure, it might have been blood money. But it was money, nonetheless.

"Good night, Layla."

"Good night."

The faint light of Aika's flame died away as she retreated down the hall, and the Fire Bender was left to burrow under her thin sheets, feeling inexplicably alone.

**. . .**

**I love Aika and Layla's relationship. No one could really say they're very clever (e.g. Aika won't talk about their dad because she thinks it will be too painful for Layla, and Layla won't let anyone help her ever), but they manage. **

**And, yes. Short chapter. Sorry.**


	4. Fickle Friends

Layla stood on the side of the street, watching the Satomobiles go by and waiting for her turn to cross.

The Triad was definitely getting antsy. They were breathing down her neck like the vicious dragon they were named for, causing smoke to enter her eyes and nose and blurring her judgment. She loved her sister, though, and no matter how much she idolized the Fire Ferrets, she loved Aika more. Aika didn't deserve what would come should Layla fail in her job. Perhaps the Avatar didn't, either, but she preferred to not give that end of the consequences much thought.

A hand grabbed her shoulder and she instantly turned to punch the fiend in the face. However, it was not a certain sleaze in desperate need of a bath that was yelling, "OW!" and holding his face.

"Bolin!" she exclaimed, hovering nervously around him as Pabu screeched in surprise. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were somebody else!"

He paused in his wailing to raise a thick eyebrow at her. "There's somebody else who calls you Food Buddy?" he asked, voice sounding nasally do to his large hands being pressed over his nose.

Her eyebrows drew together. "Food Buddy?"

"Yeah. I was calling to you by saying that because it was clever and amusing."

Her mouth twitched as she scooped up the Fire Ferret. "I guess that would be why I didn't respond. Are you okay?"

"I'm totally fine." he said, straightening up to show her his perfectly normal nose. "See? Probably gonna hurt for a while, though... You punch really hard."

She smiled. "I'm really sorry." she repeated.

He shrugged it off. "Ah, it's better than being back at the apartment. Mako and his _girlfriend _are over there." He shivered theatrically. "Yuck."

"What girlfriend?" she asked.

"Asami Sato. Daughter of the inventor of the Satomobile." Bolin bragged. "Her dad is sponsoring us in the championships."

"Really? That's great!" she said sincerely. "You guys totally deserve a break like this." _Especially considering what's coming_.

"I know. Hey, I just got back from Air Temple Island. Korra said she'd come by later, so do you wanna get some noodles or something while we wait?" he offered.

She was surprised. The last few occasions when someone had invited her to a meal, it had been to inconspicuously discuss the next job. But Bolin's face was kind, open, and honest; completely foreign territory. He genuinely wanted to go eat noodles.

"I don't know..."

"Come on. I'll buy." he said, the very voice of temptation. Even Pabu was looking at her pleadingly.

She caved in. "Alright. But... why?" she asked as they strolled along to the nearest noodle shop.

"_Because_ Mako's no fun, Korra's off doing... Avatar stuff, and I'm getting bored out of my mind. Pabu's good company, but actual human contact is good, too." he said, petting the Fire Ferret on his shoulder.

She laughed. "I guess I can't say I'm not glad you caught me. I was just wandering around without anything worthwhile to do."

"See? It was fate. Ah, Morita. Two bowls of Water Tribe noodles, please." he requested of the elderly woman at the counter. She nodded mutely with a rather neutral expression, then turned to fill the order.

"So... Water Tribe, huh?" Layla asked with a knowing smirk. "Somebody got a crush on a certain Avatar?"

"Well, _yeah_." he said as though it were obvious. "I mean,who wouldn't? She's fantastic! Except, I mean, I guess you wouldn't, but..."

"Nah, I get it." she said as they took their bowls and sat down, Bolin barely keeping his away from the grabbing Fire Ferret. "She's totally cool."

"So... do you think I have a chance with her?" he asked, looking up at Layla with big green eyes.

She paused with the noodles on their journey to her mouth and looked at him. "Are you really asking me that?"

His bravado disappeared slightly, and Pabu took this chance to swipe a paw-full of noodles. "I know. She's the Avatar, and I'm just some kid who managed to get into Pro-Bending."

"That's not what I said." She swallowed the noodles in her mouth so she might talk more easily. "You don't need to ask me. You're great, she's great, what's there to lose?"

"Yeah," he said, straightening up a bit as his ego slowly re-inflated. Then, like a balloon whose opening has just been released, the hot air rushed out of him. "But Mako doesn't think so."

"Why not?" Layla asked, slurping more noodles.

"I asked him about it, and he said he didn't think it was a good idea to date within the team." he said with disappointment.

"Bolin," she began, looking at him seriously.

"What?"

"Why did you ask Mako about it?"

He looked confused. "Well, he's my brother. I wanted his opinion."

"Bolin, you're sixteen. I think you can make your own decisions at this point." She slurped up another knot of delicious Water Tribe delicacy. "You wanna date the Avatar, date the Avatar."

The Earth Bender smiled. "I think I'll keep you around, Food Buddy. Good for stoking the old ego."

She snorted. "Like you need my help. I saw the way you waved at your fangirls in the arena. Your ego was so big, it was tangible."

Back and forth they went, teasing one another and generally ignoring the fact that Pabu had begun to finish Layla's noodles for her, though whether that was intentional or they simply didn't know was anyone's guess. Eventually, the sky began to grow dark, and Bolin jumped up, flipping the bowl Pabu currently resided in. "Oh no! I completely forgot about Korra coming over!"

"Go get her, lover boy." Layla said with a smile, scooting out of the booth as he took off towards the door.

He skidded to a halt and looked back at her. "That was fun! We should hang out more often!"

"Whatever you want."

He smiled, then sped away from the noodle shop. After untrapping himself from beneath the bowl, the little Fire Ferret followed suit. Layla casually strolled out of the shop when a rather uncomfortable thought entered her mind. She had just convinced her new friend to go out with the one person she was supposed to betray. She found this largely inconvenient, as it would have been nice to have thought this _before_ she told Bolin what he wanted to hear.

She mentally shook herself. It was almost scary how easily she could forget who she was. Bolin wasn't her friend. None of them were. They were merely pawns to be used by forces greater than any of them.

**. . .**

**D'awww! Friendship is cute! Until, of course, you realize you're supposed to destroy the people you're friends with. Then it's not so cute.**


	5. Triad Troubles

Layla was, again, watching the fight from the locker room, gripping the railing and cheering. The team was really in sync tonight, and they managed to win the thing in less than fifteen minutes. Mako was the first back, looking reasonably pleased with himself. "That was fantastic, Mako!" Layla complimented from where she sat on a bench. Pabu took a flying leap out of her lap as Korra entered, searching for his master. "No, come back here!" she exclaimed, chasing after him. The two Benders behind her began discussing something she didn't much care about. Until, of course, she heard the words, "Look, I really like you and I think we were meant for each other!" fly out of the Avatar's mouth. She froze, Pabu struggling to get out of her unfaltering grip as Bolin celebrated to the crowds.

"Korra, I'm sorry. I just don't feel the same way about you." Mako said apologetically.

"Forget I said anything." Korra said quickly, walking away.

_Well,_ Layla thought a bit selfishly. _At least now I don't have to worry about hurting Bolin my way._

"Yeah! Layla! Look at those fans! Did you see me? Cheer for me? Worship me as I was out kicking major Bender butt?" the Earth Bender in question asked as his pet was returned to him.

"Uh-"

"Congratulations, guys, you were so amazing out there!" Asami said as she walked into the room, kissing Mako lightly on the cheek.

"Yeah, I know." Bolin said pompously. "And now, to sweeten the victory."

"Bolin, I don't-" Layla tried to stop him, but he was already standing by the Avatar. "So, Korra. How about we get dinner together, sort of a date situation...?"

"Oh, um, that's really sweet, but, I don't think so." Korra said dejectedly, looking away. "I don't feel very date-worthy."

"Are you kidding me?" Bolin exclaimed. "You the smartest, funniest, toughest, buffest, talentedist, incrediblist girl in the world!"

She blushed and laughed. "You really feel that way about me?"

"I've felt that way since the first moment I saw you." he admitted. "Trust me, we're gonna have so much fun together."

"You know what? I could use some fun. Okay, sure."

"Yes!" he cheered, making Layla wince. "Who's the luckiest guy in the world? Right here! Bolin!"

"Oh, that boy's in trouble." she muttered, watching them leave. "Lots and lots of trouble." She caught Mako looking at them, as well, with a clear mark of guilt and uncertainty. He was worried for his brother. And rightly so. If he followed through with this, he would get hurt in a veritable rainbow of ways.

Well, as long as it was inevitable, she might as well not feel bad about her task anymore. She picked up her jacket and left the arena, ignoring the couple in the corner whispering sweet nothings to one another. Snow was falling, and she hugged herself, igniting a tiny flame in her hand to keep from freezing. Nearby, she saw a man dressed in a pile of old rags, huddled in the doorway of a small shop.

"Need some warmth, stranger?" she asked, walking up to him. He spotted her, and immediately his crinkled blue eyes grew wide with fear.

"A Bender!" he exclaimed.

"Well and truly." she answered, unafraid. She looked around, then tossed a few stray twigs into a pile at his feet and lit it with warm tongues of fire. "Here. That should keep you alive through the night."

He was still staring at her as though unsure of what to think. "B-but-"

"We're not quite as evil as they say." she said with a wink, heading off through the snow. She loved winter. She didn't have much, but fire was something she could give freely and plentifully.

Her thoughts turned to Bolin and the Avatar. They were probably out laughing and slurping noodles at Bolin's favorite eatery. Soon, his heart would be stepped on, but who would be the wearer of the boot was anyone's guess. Perhaps, if she'd only held him back a bit sooner... Immediately, she put those thoughts aside. Feeling guilty for something she didn't do helped no one, and would only succeed in complicating things. Keep a one-track mind, and the once-horrifying labors could become bearable.

"Layla! Wait up!"

She turned to see Mako hurrying out after her. She wasn't too far from the arena yet. Luckily, she'd stopped for that old man. "Yeah?"

"You left this in the locker rooms. Thought you might want it back." he said, handing her the black ribbon with the gold coin on it.

"Oh. Must've fallen off." she said, accepting the necklace as Asami followed her lover out. "Thanks."

"He's just a sweetie like that." said the beauty, kissing him on the cheek.

Suddenly, a ball of fire exploded next to Mako's foot. He leaped out of the way, pulling Asami with him as Layla extinguished the flame. "What was that?" he asked urgently.

Figures began coming out of the corners. Three in all. She recognized the uniforms. "Triad." Layla said, taking a fighting position. "Get out of here."

"No way, I'm not leaving you behind."

"What about Asami?"

"I can take care of myself." she said, putting her fists up by her face.

The Fire Bender stared at the girl blankly. "That's a perfect defensive position." she acknowledged.

"I know."

"Look out!" Mako cried as another fireball came at them. He deflected it, but Layla was knocked off her feet as the ground beneath her sprang up. She managed to roll back up, though, and launched streaks of dangerous heat at their attackers. Asami was being assailed by someone who also knew hand-to-hand combat, and was fairing particularly well. In all, the three attackers were dispatched in moments, largely due to Layla and Mako being such skilled Fire Benders.

"We're not even on Triad territory!" Mako panted, looking at the unconscious bodies.

"Like they care." Layla said, nudging one of them not-so-very-gently with her foot. "Trust me. I live in a Triad-infested neighborhood. They'll invade wherever they want to invade."

"Looks like the Black Dragon." Asami said, examining one of their uniforms. "What are they doing by the arena?"

"Like I said." Layla responded a beat quicker than was warranted. "They'll invade anywhere."

"You'd better get back inside." Mako said, pushing his girlfriend in the direction of the large, glowing building. "There could be more." He turned to Layla. "I'll walk you home. It's definitely not safe for you to go by yourself."

"I can handle it." she promised, knowing internally that there would, in fact, not be any more. "Make sure Asami gets in okay. And... check on Korra and Bolin. I don't know where they are, and if they're close, they might have been attacked, too."

"Good idea. You're sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine. Go on." she said, already heading away from the two. When she was sure they weren't looking, she ducked into an alley. "I know you're here." she whispered, but nonetheless gasped in shock and fear when a figure materialized out of the gloom. "Stop doing that!"

"You said you knew I was here."

She ignored the comment. "You did that on purpose!" she huffed. "Someone could have gotten hurt! _I_ could have gotten hurt!"

"You wanted trust, didn't you?" Ratty asked viciously. "Well, there you go. I gave you trust. In under ten minutes, no less. Still gonna whine to me about needing time?"

She glared at him. "Did you attack the others, too?"

"Didn't need to. That broody one'll tell 'em everything." he said a bit smugly. "And, uh, this issue you have about getting hurt. Don't forget that you're disposable, cupcake. We can replace you at any time."

Her golden eyes narrowed in the dark. "Is that a threat?"

"Yes. It is. I told you to watch your step, girlie." he said as he melted into the shadows once more. "Others are watching you, too."

**. . .**

**Eugh! Ratty, you're so _awful_! Just... blegh! Layla, why do you run around with these people?**

**Gah. Whatever, they don't listen to me. There's been a peculiar lack in reviews, and I'm wondering who's reading this. I'm not begging or forcing you to, I'm just pointing it out. That blue button there. The site updated and made it nice and easy to see. Right there. **


	6. Dispondently Disposable

"So, how was your date last night?" Layla panted as she dodged Bolin's disks. He'd asked her to spar with her today, as Korra and Mako were both off doing 'serious-people stuff', as he called it.

"It was great! You know, I don't care what Mako says, Korra and I were totally meant for each other." he said confidently.

"No issues or anything on your end?" she asked, keeping the anxiety out of her voice reasonably well. Despite Ratty's assurances, she doubted the Triad hitmen would have stopped at three measly teens.

"Nope. It was perfect, as any date with Bolin would be." He ducked with incredibly agility for one his size and simultaneously flung a clay disk at the Fire Bender. It clipped her shoulder and she sat hard, breathing heavily. "But, hey, I hear your night wasn't so dull and boring, either. Mako told me about the Black Dragon Triad jumping you guys outside the arena." he said, sitting beside her on the floor.

"Oh, it was only three of them. Nothing to worry about." she assured him. "We knocked 'em down quick enough."

"Yeah, but, I mean, that's still pretty cool." he said honestly. "I'm sure Korra's mad she missed out on all the action."

"It's... better that she was with you." Layla said. "I'm sure it was more fun wherever you were than fighting a bunch of bullies in the snow."

"Did you hit your head or something? I don't think you understand." He looked at her seriously. "People who work with Triads aren't bullies. They're really, really dangerous. I should know; Mako used to do some work for the Triple Threat Triad back when we had nothing. It was hard getting out of that."

She looked back at him bemusedly. She found it a bit ironic that Bolin was trying to teach her that Triads were bad and dangerous when she herself worked for one. Well, as long as he was giving this addition to her cover, she might as well use it. "Oh. Well, I don't have a lot of experience with them, so I didn't know."

"Not to worry, Bending Buddy. Just stick with ol' Bolin, here. I'll protect you." He threw a few dramatic punches in the air, causing her to laugh.

"So it's Bending Buddy now?" she asked.

"Yeah. You fight Bender to Bender with me, so that is also clever and amusing."

She laid back on the floor. "I feel _so_ much safer now that you're here. You, who can take on an army by yourself." she teased.

"What can I say? Not many people can reach my level of spectacularity."

"Now you're just making up words."

"You can't prove that."

**. . .**

"_And that is it! The Ferrets have won their Quarter Final match!"_

"YES!" Layla cheered, dancing around the locker room with Pabu. "We're going to the Tournament! We're going to the Tournament!" Suddenly, she stopped her celebratory singing and replaced the Fire Ferret on the bench. Maybe she should take off earlier than she usually did. She was forgetting herself again, assuming that she would be there when her friends – when the pawns moved on to victory. She wouldn't. At the time of the Tournament, she'd be deep in planning the big job. The horrendous, awful task she was supposed to do.

Without leaving so much as an informative note, she left the locker rooms and pulled her jacket closer around her as she walked out into the chilled night air. She stopped. Wait. Maybe she had a chance. What was it Ratty had told her? _You're disposable_. So they didn't need her, right? She could quit. They could find another girl to do their dirty work. A smile lighting up her once dour features, she ran back toward the arena. The Avatar was out looking over the water, and the sight of her made Layla pause. The Black Dragon Triad wanted Korra badly. They'd put a lot of time and energy into making sure Layla could get into the Avatar's inner circle. Would they really let her go so easily?

Before Layla could decide whether to approach Korra or not, another figure intruded. It was Mako, looking determined as he went up and spoke to her. Their conversation seemed heated, like neither side was in the best of spirits. But Bolin was approaching, with a bouquet of flowers, no less. Surely he would lighten the mood.

Layla gasped and took a step back. So it was decided. She would not wield the hammer that would smash Bolin's heart to pieces.

Korra had just kissed Mako full on the lips.

And the resulting scene was none too pretty.

"Bolin, wait!" Mako cried as his brother ran off, dissolved in tears. "This is all your fault!" he snapped at Korra.

"My fault?"

"You kissed me!"

"_You_ kissed _me_ back!"

"Urgh!" Mako ran off, presumably in search of his brother. Korra stared after him angrily, then turned away, muttering to herself.

Layla's eyebrows were drawn together in utter confusion. This was supposed to be the Avatar. The unifying figurehead of all the nations. She was supposed to be wise and understanding, not a... well, a teenager. A rather thoughtless teenager, at that. What was Amon afraid of in this girl?

And what about Bolin? The rise and fall of his emotions at the hands of Korra had been amazingly fast, and he would be hurting for a long time. But at least it was a broken heart, and not a broken body. Better he be hurt this way than by other means.

_Disposable_. Her mind tuned back to the Triad once more, and of what 'disposable' _really_ meant. Would they really kill her? Or would they let her go? Either way, she was in for some very hot water.

She decided to go home. Mako would find Bolin, and Korra was already heading back to Air Temple Island. Home was all she wanted tonight.

When she walked through the front door, she didn't worry about it squeaking. She wanted Aika to come.

"You're home early." her sister commented. "I got my paycheck today, so I bought some more candles."

"Aika?" Layla said quietly, and Aika immediately changed from big sister to mother.

"What is it, sweetie?" she asked, gathering the younger girl into her arms.

"What will the Triad do if I tell them I don't want to work for them anymore?"

Aika paused, the question taking her a bit by surprise. "When did you decide this?"

"Less than an hour ago."

She frowned. "So you haven't told them yet?"

Layla shook her head. "No. I was still unsure."

"Good. Don't tell them. Not yet. Tomorrow, I'll take the day off so we can spend some time together and figure this out. Everyone knows they hire too many waitresses at the eatery, anyway." she said softly. "This is a big decision, Layla. It could be dangerous."

She looked down at her hands. "Ratty told me I was disposable."

"No," Aika admonished, tilting her sister's face to look at her. "No, no, no, you're nowhere _near_ disposable. He just says that because he wants to threaten you. They won't find anyone else like you. No one will care as much as you, or show people mercy. Anyone they find will be just as cold and uncaring as they are. But I'll make sure you're here with me, okay? I might be able to get you a job at the eatery. Clovis won't turn you away, I'm sure of it."

"Okay." Layla said quietly, resting her head against her sister's chest. It was almost scary how vulnerable she felt. For the first time, she truly _didn't know_ what the Triad would do. Or maybe she did, and just wouldn't admit it.

"We'll get through this, Layla. They won't make you do things you don't want to do anymore."

**. . .**

**Production of these chapters will slow _way_ down. Probably until the next episode comes out. I'm losing interest, like I always do, and if you didn't see this coming, you didn't read the first author's note.**

**However, if you want to see the original story I'm working on, head on over to Deviantart and look up InsideRainyDay. That's where I am.**


	7. Annihilating Anxiety

"How about this one?" Aika said, holding up a shirt to her sister as the girls browsed an outdoor market.

Layla looked at the article of clothing, then at Aika in slight irritation. "We can't afford it." she said with annoyance. The entire day, her mood had been rather on the foul side. Her life was at stake, and all Aika could think to do was shop.

Aika sighed. "Layla, I'm trying to give you a break, here. Not everything has to do with starving, being poor, or crime syndicates. You can just be a normal person."

Layla looked back at her and put the shirt roughly back on the table. "Not likely."

"Layla!"

She turned to see Bolin and Mako making their way towards them, the former smiling as broadly as his shoulders. "Hey!"

"Bolin?" she said in surprise. "What are you doing here? And... not weeping?" The last part was pushing it a bit, but her mood hadn't been improved in the last thirty seconds, and wasn't likely to change in the next thirty.

"Oh, yeah, we got it cleared up after our latest match." he said airily.

"Mostly." Mako put in.

"Well, anyway, we saw you over here and... whoa. Is _that_ your sister?" Bolin exclaimed, staring with huge eyes at Aika.

Layla watched as her sister's graceful eyebrows came together over her liquid-gold eyes. Yes, she was beautiful. But he didn't need to make such a scene of it. "Um, yeah. Bolin, Mako, this is Aika. Aika, these are my, uh, friends."

"Hello," she said, shaking their hands politely as she looked at them curiously. It had been a while – nay, a _long_ while since Layla had introduced her to any friends. Her line of work didn't allow for much closeness.

"Don't mind my brother." Mako said as Bolin stared at her in an entranced sort of way. "He's easily pleased."

An eyebrow went up. "Oh?"

Mako made a face. "No – I didn't mean – ugh, don't mind me, either, I guess."

Aika laughed. "It's alright. I've gotten far worse compliments in my time. So you're brothers, then?"

"Yep. Ever since birth." Bolin said with a nod, having come back down to reality.

She laughed again. "I suppose that's how long Layla and I have been sisters."

"Speaking of whom," He turned to the young Fire Bender. "We missed you at the match today. It probably would have been painful to watch, but still, it would have been nice to have you."

"I was busy." she said quietly.

His mouth turned down in a slight, almost concerned frown as he looked at her, unsure of why she was so unresponsive today.

"Mako," Aika said suddenly. "Can you come here for a moment? I want to look at your scarf; I think I know where it came from."

"Uh, okay."

Bolin took this opportunity to pull Layla to the side. "Hey, are you okay? Did we do something? Because, to be honest, I wasn't really paying attention the last couple of days."

"No, it's not you." she said, rubbing her arm. "I just have this part-time job thing that I do sometimes, and it's getting a little rough at the moment. Aika told me to relax for today, but it's just not working."

"Oh. If _that's_ all!" he said, sounding relieved.

She was taken aback. "Um, what? No, I don't think you-"

"Because _I_ thought it was something _we_ did. But we can get around this easy. You just need some noodles and-"

"No, Bolin, _noodles_ are not going to help me!" she argued.

"Sure they will! Come on, you're acting worse than Mako." he complained.

"Bolin, I'm not kidding-"

"Just walk with me, and right around the corner is-"

"No!" she snapped, wrenching her arm out of his grasp. "Why aren't any of you taking this seriously? I don't want to shop for stupid clothes and I don't want to eat stupid noodles! I want out!"

Their expressions were varied. Bolin looked shocked, Mako looked confused, and Aika simply looked... guilty? The only thing this accomplished was making Layla feel even worse. She blew out a puff of air and stalked swiftly from the market. Aika had no reason to feel guilty. She didn't get her sister into this mess. Layla put herself there. Intelligence wasn't known to run in their family, and Layla was making this apparent in almost everything she did.

"Hey, hey, wait a second," Bolin said, jogging to keep up with her. "Layla, I wasn't trying to make you mad."

"Too late."

"Come on, tell me what's going on. Maybe I can help." he offered.

"Not likely."

"Layla, please," he insisted, cutting off her furious stride and looking at her pleadingly. "I just want to help."

She sighed, hands on her narrow hips. "Fine." she allowed. "What did you have in mind?"

He smiled. "Meet me later tonight outside the arena. I promise, you won't be disappointed." He made to leave, then turned once more. "Oh, and wear something nice."

She watched him go bemusedly, then kept going homeward. Aika could make it on her own.

**. . .**

Layla paced around outside of the arena, waiting for Bolin to emerge with whatever prize he certainly had in store. She'd swapped her shorts for a skirt, her shoes for some old wool-lined boots, and her shirt for one of Aika's patterned tops. She hoped it was nice enough.

"Layla!" Bolin called, hurrying down the stairs to meet her. He was dressed in a nice shirt, jacket, and pants, something she hadn't thought he could afford. "Wow, you look great!"

"Ditto." she said, impressed. "You look pretty sharp."

"Ah, gift from Asami." he said dismissively. "Come on, I've got something special planned." He took her arm and lead her down the road, towards the main section of Republic City.

"Why?"

He shrugged with a smile. "Because you're under a lot of pressure and you're always doing nice stuff for us. And... because I figured you were getting tired of noodles." he added.

She grinned back. "Okay, then, what do you have planned?"

"Ever seen Republic Park at night?"

"Never had the chance."

"You'll love it." he promised as they wove their way through the late-night foot traffic. They reached the corner of an intersection, where there was a mass of people waiting to cross. Someone bumped into Layla and would have knock her off her feet if Bolin hadn't caught her. "Whoa, there." he chuckled. "Gotta be careful around here."

She stared up into his green eyes, suddenly realizing how handsome they were underneath that stubborn curl of his. Then the light changed, signifying that they were permitted to cross, and he let go. She followed, shaking off the feeling that had crept over her.

It didn't taker her long. The minute they stepped into the park, she was awestruck. Lights were strung up everywhere, making the place as bright as daytime, and it made all the flowers take on a cheery glow. The water from the pond was like a mirror, reflecting the beauty. Families and lovers sat on blankets across the lawn, looking as though they didn't have a single care in the world.

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed, taking a few steps further.

"Well, yeah, that was kinda the point." Bolin laughed.

She turned to him, looking happier than he'd seen in a while. "Thank you."

He smiled back. "What are friends for?"


	8. Forgoing Friendship

"Okay, so, what do you think of Layla?" Bolin asked, arms spread wide as though her were giving a presentation.

"I don't know, Bo..."

"What is your problem with me and dating people?" he exclaimed in frustration.

"You just got over the last dating mishap."

"Yeah, but see, that's different. Layla's different. We were out last night and she just... and we were... ya know?" the younger boy said, reflecting back on his night in the park. He'd actually gotten Layla to dance. "I don't see why you're so against this."

"Look, you can date anyone you want, okay? Anyone _except her_." Mako said.

"And Asami?" Bolin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, of course you can't have Asami."

"And Korra?"

Mako hesitated, and his brother nodded. "See? This is what I'm talking about. What could you possibly have against Layla, anyway?"

Mako sighed. "Look, I just don't trust her, alright? Everything about her just doesn't add up. She comes in and immediately befriends everybody and does all this stuff for us just because we're her favorite Pro-Bending team? And what about that whole Triad incident? I don't care what she says, Triads just don't wander out of their territory like that."

Bolin stared at his brother, an incredulous look on his face. "You're blaming _her_ for that? I can't believe this."

"Well, fine, what about her 'part time job'?" Mako asked. "Have you realized she never once told us what that was?"

Bolin looked uncomfortable. "Well, I... maybe she doesn't do it on purpose."

"Unlikely."

"Look, I don't care what you say. I like her. She obviously likes me. I'm gonna go for it."

Mako sighed as Bolin left the apartments. "That's exactly what you said last time." he muttered.

**. . .**

Layla stuck her key in the front door, smiling to herself. Her night with Bolin had gone exceedingly well. So much so, she'd even offered to buy the groceries for the week. She shifted the bag in her arms as she opened the door, humming a bit to herself.

All at once, her humming stopped and the bag fell from her arms. "No," she whispered, shaking her head at the damage before her. Scratches and burn marks covered the walls, the table was broken, and the rug was twisted. "Aika!"

A hand clamped over her mouth. She fought against the vice-like grip, but it was too much. "I told you to get me the Avatar!" Ratty snarled in her ear. "But you begged me to give you more time. So I gave it to you. And here I find you've been flirting around with the boy! Wasting _my_ time! So you no longer have three weeks. You don't even have three days! I want her _today_! Or pretty little Aika gets a _flaming_ little gift, courtesy of her little sister! I'll be waiting at the corner of the east market. If you're not there by sundown, that's it."

Then, just as fast as he came, he was gone, abandoning her to shake with fear in her own home. Her sister. They had her sister. Aika was gone and would be forever if Layla didn't act now. She liked Korra. She'd grown accustomed to the Avatar's company over the past week, and had found it getting harder and harder to plan the theft of the world's greatest icon. But it seemed she now had the proper motivation, and that was exactly what the Triad wanted. She tried her best to pull it together, put on a winning smile, but she just couldn't. She'd have to pull the "I need your help desperately" card. It normally worked best in tight situations, anyway.

"I'm coming for you, Aika." she murmured, dashing out the door. "I'm not gonna let you die."

**. . .**

Aika paced to and fro in her cell, not so much scared as angry. "I won't be here long." she told her guard.

"Right. Because your baby sister's gonna deliver the Avatar, nice and snappy." he said lazily.

"No. She'll find a way. She won't bow down to you."

"If she doesn't, both of you will be dead."

Aika slammed against the bars. "If you touch her, I swear-"

"Oh, I won't touch her." he said, leering at her. "It'll either be our glorious leader, or maybe Amon himself. It will be him she's slighting."

"Don't any of you understand?" Aika snapped. "Amon doesn't care if you give him the Avatar. You're all still Benders! He'll _still _hate you!"

"You're a woman. What do you know of these things?"

She cried out in utter frustration, shoving off the cold bars and retreating to the back of her cage. Her sister was in the worst danger she'd gotten herself into yet. And Aika wouldn't be there to help this time.

**. . .**

Layla ran through the streets, pushing people out of her way and not much caring when they shouted at her. Blood was pumping in her ears, her heart was hammering harder than ever, sweat beaded on her brow. _Hang on, Aika. I'm coming_.

She burst through the doors of the arena, finding Korra, Mako, and Bolin in the training room. "Korra!" she cried, hardly able to get the word out past her heavy breathing. She leaned against the doorway, trying to regain some semblance of strength.

All three immediately froze. "Layla?" Korra said in surprise.

"Trouble!" she cried. "Corner of the east market! I need you!"

She was already tearing off her training equipment. "Come on, boys-"

"No!" Layla cried. "Just you!"

They stared at her, but she didn't need their suspicion. "There's no time to argue! Come now!"

Korra threw the rest of her gear to the ground and took off with the girl. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Triad." was all Layla could say. _For you, Aika. I'm getting you out of there._

She was shocked at how easy it was to manipulate the Avatar's drive to help people. It hurt her infinitely to know what she was doing, but she had to do it. It was either sacrifice her sister for someone she just met, or sacrifice someone she just met for her sister. The answer was easy.

"Where are they?" Korra asked, slowing to a stop at the corner of the east market. "I don't see any – HEY!"

Someone threw a coarse sack over her head and pinned her arms behind her. She tried to fight, but she was now surrounded by four of them. Layla watched in horror as they began tying her up. "I'm sorry!" she cried.

"Good job, cupcake." said the most foul man in existence, placing a grimy hand on her shoulder. "For a minute there, I didn't think you had it in you."

"Just give me back my sister." she said, hands balled into tight fists as she watched the Avatar get dragged away.

He sighed. "There is no punishment if you just get what you want in the end. We'll be keeping her a little longer. As a lesson to you."

Her eyes widened as she realized they would probably kill Aika. For fun. Just because they could. She stared, watching the caravan of madness quickly drive away before anyone could notice.

**. . .**

**Oh, Layla. You horrible, horrible person. Now they will all hate you.**


End file.
